1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toilet tissue holders, and more specifically, motorized toilet tissue dispensers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The have been patented devices in the past that not only rotatably support a roll of paper product, such as toilet paper, but that are also capable of automatically dispensing a desired length of the product to a user. U.S. Pat. No. 1,674,285, issued on Jun. 19, 1928 to Leaman S. Harvey, discloses a holder for paper rolls, specifically toilet paper rolls. Harvey's holder comprises a bracket member for attachment to a planar supporting surface such that a portion of the bracket extends normal to the supporting surface. The bracket has means for accepting a plurality of clamps or biased spools that rotate with and without ball bearing against the bracket, for removably engaging the inner portion of a cylinder about which the paper product is wound so that the same may be unrolled as needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,059, issued on Nov. 14, 1961 to Frederic P. Plotkin et al., discloses a dispensing device for rolled material comprising a base frame structure having two roll supporting arms extending therefrom. One of Plotkin's rolls supporting arms is pivotally attached to the base frame structure and biased so as to better retain a roll of paper product between the two roll supporting arms.
Examples of electronic toilet tissue dispensers within the patent record are U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,200, issued on Jan. 31, 1978 to Barry N. Stone and U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,265, issued on Jan. 26, 1988 to Junior F. Hawkins. Stone's dispenser is seen as a battery powered, switch activated, dispenser having a rectangular frame with two mounting arms attached thereto. A cylinder is provided to engage the roll of paper product to be dispensed. A biased peg extends from within the cylinder to retain the cylinder between the two mounting arms. Furthermore, gear means are utilized to rotate the cylinder once placed between the mounting arms. The Hawkins dispenser is also seen as a battery powered toilet tissue dispenser that is activated through a sensor-type switch as opposed to a manual-type switch. The motor of Hawkins' dispenser transfers power to the toilet paper roll by means of a belt and pulley-type arrangement. A spring-biased handle arrangement provides proper compressive forces to secure the toilet paper roll within the dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,016, issued on Nov. 8, 1988 to Daniel L. Pool, is presented herein to further illustrate means for retaining a roll about a central rotating member. Through the utilization of a shaped wire member, Pool's roll holder engages the inner surface of a roll with enough frictional for that the roll will not slip as the holder is rotated.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.